


for auld lang syne, my dear

by AstrologicalGem



Category: Snowpiercer (TV 2020)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, Kissing, Multi, New Year's Eve, Platonic Cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:22:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28465251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstrologicalGem/pseuds/AstrologicalGem
Summary: Two parties. Two years apart.
Relationships: Jinju Seong/Bess Till, Melanie Cavill & Javier "Javi" de La Torre & Bennett Knox, Melanie Cavill & Wilford, Melanie Cavill/Bennett Knox, Miss Audrey & Ruth Wardell, Zarah Ferami/Andre Layton
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	for auld lang syne, my dear

Six hours until midnight, and Melanie Cavill sits in a chair in Wilford's private quarters. His assistants-Kevin, and Sykes-fret over her hair, and her makeup-the thin lines of concealer used to cover up scratches and bruises don't seem to be covering it, and for a minute, she allows herself the statisfaction of knowing Wilford's plan didn't go that well. 

"Stop smirking like that, you little bitch." Kevin grabs her by the chin, and yanks her face to look at him. 

"Don't fucking touch me." She snarls, before pulling back to look down, looking at the floor. "You know Mr. Wilford doesn't like anyone but himself touching me."

"Then cooperate, and we won't need to." 

Melanie continues to look at the ground, lets the two henchmen manipulate and tease her hair and face into what Wilford had ordered earlier. When Wilford comes back, later, he smiles, examining the woman in front of him. Her cuts and scrapes burn under the concealer, and she feels tears sting at her eyes. 

"See, dear, you look better already. Now, go get changed into that dress of yours." He waves her away, and she hesitates for a moment.

"Which dress?"

"Oh, you know the one. The black one."

 _The one you wore when Layton solved the murder and Nikki died and-oh._

Five hours to midnight, and Melanie sits in the Nightcar next to Wilford, legs crossed tightly. Audrey's preforming tonight, she remembers, and that gives her some semblance of hope. Maybe someone will help her find a way out of here. 

She keeps her eyes trained on the floor as dancers float around, one occasionally stopping by to sit in Wilford's lap. One of them stops, at one point, and rests a hand on Melanie's shoulder. Wilford waves her away, though, and she leaves. 

Melanie isn't sure how to feel about that. 

Four hours to midnight, and Layton leads a toast, and she stares him dead in the eye the whole time. She's never felt so empty, but still so full of anger the whole time.

Three hours to midnight, and Audrey's preforming, and Wilford's arms are around Melanie's waist as they sway on the dance floor. She hates this, hates the feeling of this, but she knows this song involves some kind of partner swap-something that could help, depending on who they're close to.

Andre's dancing with Zarah, and Till is with Jinju, and there's something in that moment that feels genuinely happy, something that could be true and real. And the swap happens, and she smiles when she sees her new partner. A real, genuine, smile. 

Bennett Knox. 

"Never thought I'd be so happy to see you again," she mumbles, trying to keep quiet.

"How can I help you? Layton's got a plan to get you out, if you can just last a few more days...Mel, I promise, that monster won't ever touch you again when we're done with him..." He pulls her closer, and she loves it, loves the feeling of him.

"Alright...is there anything you all need from Big Alice? I can get supplies for you, if I just ask..."

"Don't worry about that, Mel. Just focus on staying alive..."

The song ends, and she pulls away, reattatches herself to Wilford's side. 

Two hours to midnight, and Melanie finds herself shaking hands with party guests, Wilford beside her. She isn't sure why she is, or how it started, but now it doesn't seem to end.

One hour to midnight, and Audrey is sitting between them now, her legs in Wilford's lap. Melanie's eyes are trained on the floor, and she doesn't want to look, doesn't want to even really think about the situation she's in. 

One minute to midnight, and Melanie's making her way back to her chair, a champagne flute in hand. She almost runs into someone, and she freezes again. But it's Bennett, again, and she relaxes almost instantly.

"Melanie...jesus christ, we should probably stop running into each other, huh?" He rubs the back of his neck, and she laughs quietly.

"Yeah, I guess...look, I gotta get back to him..."

The chime sounds, and she turns to leave. He grabs her wrist, and pulls her closer, and she panicks, for a minute.

"In the new year, we'll be together. I promise," he mumbles into her ear, before letting go.

\-----

A year later, six hours to midnight, Melanie Cavill sits at the helm of Snowpiercer, reading over the day's reports. Bennett and Javi are there, too, at their respective stations.

"Are you guys going to the Nightcar?" Layton enters, and Mel turns to look at him.

"What?"

"Are you all going to the Nightcar? Audrey's hosting her party again." He steps closer.

"I think we're just gonna do what we usually do, up here." Bennett chimes in, and Melanie's thankful.

"Oh, you three host a party too?" Layton smirks.

"Not exactly. Usually we get drunk, end up playing some kind of game...it's nothing really exciting." Javi shrugs.

"Well, maybe you guys would wanna come down to the Nightcar. I know Audrey and Ruth would love to see you guys." 

"Maybe next year, okay?" Melanie looks up at him. 

"Alright. Tell me if you change your minds, though, I'll come and pick you up. Okay?"

Melanie nods, and turns back to her reports.

Five hours to midnight, and Bennett and Melanie are in the Nightcar.

"I still can't believe Javi was able to talk us into this..." Mel mumbles, Ben's arm around her waist.

"Yeah, well...we can go back whenever we want, we don't have to stay the whole night." He whispers into her ear, and she smiles.

"Guys! You came!" Layton calls down from the bar, and Melanie smiles.

"Yeah...we did. Dunno if we'll stay the whole time, though." She shrugs.

"I like that dress, Melanie." Audrey nods in her direction, and she blushes. 

"Thanks. Do you know where Ruth is...? I'd love to talk to her."

"I'm right here." Ruth walks down the stairs, and Melanie smiles wide. "You look good, Cavill."

"Better than I was last year. You look amazing..."

Four hours to midnight, and Melanie's sitting between Ruth and Bennett, nursing a glass of wine. Her head rests on Bennett's shoulder, and he leans over to kiss her forehead.

Three hours to midnight, and Melanie's hands are shoved into the pockets of her skirt, trying to find her way to Bennett. The Nightcar is practically full to the seams, and she just wants to find him, wants to keep her head down and head back to the Engine-back home.

Two hours to midnight, and the three engineers sit on the floor of the engine, all across different areas. Melanie's legs are slung over the chair, Bennett next to her. Javi's sitting across from them, and he laughs when he sees them.

"You guys are kinda cute together. But I might also just be drunk..."

"Thanks, Jav." Bennett laughs, and Melanie blushes.

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it..." He pulls his legs up into his chest.

One hour to midnight, and there's two empty bottles of whiskey on the floor of the engine. Melanie's curled up into Bennett's side, and Javi's on Bennett's other side, similarily curled up. 

One minute to midnight, and the engineers are still curled up together.

The chime sounds, and Melanie kisses Bennett, kisses him _hard_. 

"Happy new year, baby."

**Author's Note:**

> Happy new year folks! S2 comes out in 2021, so hopefully it'll be good.  
> Come yell at me @onetrainsnowpiercer


End file.
